Transformation Tuesday

I will let the pictures speak for themselves today.

Left - August 2013/Right - October 2014

Left - August 2013/Right - October 2014

Fitness Friday and Old Navy

So I stepped on the scale this week and the miracle that happened a couple of weeks ago was not a dream, I repeat not a dream people.  I weighed in at 299.6 which means I can officially claim my spot in the 200 club.

However, while I am still celebrating I have really been struggling with consistency.  I have a whole lot of excuses but I will not bore you with them, they are typical excuses.

I really want to be in the 280s by Thanksgiving so I am joining SkinnyMeg's dietbet next week and going to get my butt to the gym 3 times a week to lift following the lifting workout she also shared HERE.  God bless her for helping out us struggling folk!

So now on to the Old Navy part.  Last weekend I stopped in to Old Navy to look for some winter clothes for Madelynn.  While I was there I was curious to see how far I have to go before I can start wearing their clothes again (used to be one of my favorite stores in HS).

Exhibit A

Exhibit B

I CAN FIT INTO XXL TOPS AT OLD NAVY!!!!!!!  The black shirt is a BUTTON down shirt for goodness sake!  There are button down shirts at Lane Bryant that I cannot get to fit right, so you bet your sweet fanny I bought that shirt (clearance $9)!   Oh and I am totally going to get that jacket, I am still trying to decide what color.

So there ya have it, this is my motivation for getting my butt in gear and really hammering it in before the holidays (and through the holidays).  I want Lane Bryant to be a distant memory by January 1.

What is currently motivating you?

Be sure to check out the other ladies linking up for Fitness Friday HERE

In case you missed it.

It finally happened and I am no longer in the 300 club, I slid right in to the 200 club this

week.

The last time I was in the 200s  is best described in the words of Billy Joel "I haven't been there for the longest time".

I will say that I was right on the cusp of breaking 300 this last weekend and then my sweet baby angel passed her stomach virus on to me.  I was sick Monday and that solidified the victory.  I weighed this morning to make sure it wasn't a dream and it still says the same....#winning!

What victory are you celebrating this week?

Tips for starting your own weight loss journey

Hi dolls!  It is Monday and I know a lot of us wait for a fresh week to start something new.  Some of you may be starting your own weight loss journey and some of you might be getting back on track.  Watch below for tips on how to start and be successful in your own weight loss journey.

Fitness Friday: One Year Ago

I am linking up with Aubrey from ALG, Uninterrupted for Fitness Friday and taking a look back to one year ago when I started my weight loss journey.

One year ago I was a depressed frail woman.

One year ago I weighed 344.8lbs and had to buy my first pair of size 28 pants.

One year ago I was so uncomfortable in my own skin and was consumed with self-hate.

One year I go I said enough was enough and did something about it.

One year ago I set out to become the woman I wanted to be.

Today I am confident.

Today I am happy.

Today I love me.

In one year I have lost 39.5 lbs but more importantly in one year I have found myself.  I know who I am and who I want to become.  I smile back at the woman in the mirror because she is beautiful, smart, and kind regardless of the number on the scale or the size of her pants.    In one year I have found my self-worth and know the value I add to the world.

What a difference one year makes.

Left - 8/31/13, 344.8 lbs/Right - 9/4/14, 305.3 lbs

From a size 28...

  ...to a size 22.

Imagine the difference one year from now. 

Updated Family Photos

A few weeks ago I spontaneously won a free family photo session from a local photographer, Michelle Voigt.  All you had to do to enter was like and share her page and comment why you felt you should win.  My "why" was because I have lost 35+ lbs over the last year and updated family pics would be a nice reward.  I was so shocked that she picked me.  Can I just say I really loved working with Michelle, she was so sweet and really captured our love.

Before I go any further, the last time we had family pictures was in December 2011.  When I got them back, I hated every picture I was in and never printed them out.  Here is a sampling of them.

You get the point.  It also didn't help that I had gotten my hair cut right before the pics and she cut off way more than I wanted.

Anyways, coming back to the present.  I was really excited to update the family pics and I love them.  Here are a few of my favorites.

These are definitely getting printed and the one where we are sitting is getting blown up and hung in the living room. I may not be where I want to be weight wise but I am loving myself during the process.

My Kim Kardashian Ugly Cry

This weekend was tax free weekend in Texas, so we went shopping to buy Madelynn some school clothes (Lord help me, I am not ready for her to be a Kindergartner).  Since every one was having good sales I figured I would pop on into the Lane Bryant outlet.

I get all of my possibilities into the dressing room and start trying them on.  Before we go any further I need to note that I grabbed a myriad of sizes truly expecting most to either be too big or too small.  Moving on, I found these size 22 slacks and thought, why the hell not?.  

I stared at them as I put them on thinking I am not even going to be able to get these suckers past my hips.  WRONG!  I got them on and buttoned and I didn't even have to suck it in!  I was pretty stoked.  When I walked out to show them to Brent, I lost it.

I cried because I have not been in a size 22 since 2004. Poor Brent and Madelynn were semi-freaking out because they thought I was upset but they were not tears of sorrow my friends.  They were tears full of joy and pride.


I am starting my week feeling full of power and confidence. I wish that for all of you and remember...

Have you considered weight loss surgery?

This is a questions that I have been asked countless times.  Every time I am asked this the only answer I really want to supply is, DUH! However, there are reasons why weight loss surgery is not right for me.

1.  It is MAJOR surgery.  I think many people assume that weight loss surgery is the "easy" way out.  Um no.  There are so many risks involved with surgery and anesthesia that frankly scare the hell out of me.  Plus then you have to add in recovery time.  No thanks.

2.  I cannot imagine never being able to eat certain foods (breads) ever again because they cause clogging or discomfort.  I know that I have to remove emotional attachment to food but I am not sure I can picture not eating a little bit of cake on my birthday.

3. Weight loss surgery is an absolute last option for me.  I can only allow myself to choose this route if I have really committed and worked on weight loss and it wasn't working.  I know I can do it when I really dedicate my effort to it.

With this said, I am not saying that weight loss surgery isn't right for others nor am I trying to make it seem like an easy way out.  People have many reasons why they choose that route and I am not judging.  We all choose different pathways to get to our health and fitness goals and that is OK.

What are your thoughts on this?

Who's that girl

Hey dolls!  So I finally broke out of my home workout routine and made it back to the gym Tuesday. A few monumental things happened for me.

1.  I took my first gym selfie.

2. I ordered a new workout tank from ABCreations in a 2XL and it FIT!!!! 

3. I kept looking at myself in the mirror as I did my lifting.  Now don't get me wrong it wasn't out of complete narcissism.  

I seriously kept looking at myself because I am getting to a point where I am starting to not recognize my body.  I kept thinking in my head is that really my body?.  Progress is happening people, it may not be as fast as I want but it is happening. Woohoo!

How are you doing on your current regimen?

P.S.  I am filming another vlog this weekend and will have it up on Monday so be sure to check back.

Weigh-In Wednesday Couples Edition: 30 Day Check In

As I wrote 30 days ago, Brent and I were starting a 90 clean eating challenge for ourselves.  You can read the full post HERE.  Anyways, the clean eating was working ok but after three weeks I noticed that we both weren't eating enough calories and were not loosing weight or inches so last week we switched over to IIFYM.

We are both loving IIFYM.  For me it has taken away a lot of guilt and stress I was carrying regarding food.  It has also helped both of us learn to balance our food and focus on nutritional values rather than calories.  I am not saying it is for everyone and you should definitely do your research and talk to your physician before starting a new eating plan.

Anyways, time for the 30 day check in.  Sorry I don't have comparison pics but things are super crazy in the mornings and I was pushing it enough by asking Brent to take his measurements (he doesn't obssess over progress like I do).

Here are our stats

BRENT
Weight: 338 lbs (-9 lbs)

Neck: 17.75 in (-.25 in)

Chest: 53 in (-2.5 in) 

Stomach: 58.5 in (-2.5 in)

R Arm: 16.5 in (-1.25 in)

L Arm: 15.75 in (-1.75 in)

R Thigh: 28.75 in (-1.25 in)

L Thigh: 29 1/8 in (-1 3/8 in)

AMANDA
Weight: 311.1 lbs (-3.7 lbs)

Bust: 52 in (-1 in)

Waist: 49 7/8 in (-2 5/8 in)

Midline: 51 in (-3.5 in) 

Hips: 57 in (1.75 in) 

R Arm: 18.5 in (-.5 in)

L Arm: 18.75 in (-.5 in) 

R Thigh: 27.75 in (-.5 in)

L Thigh: 27.25 in (-.75 in)

Not gonna lie I have been a little bummed that the scale is moving slow but after seeing the difference in my measurements I am feeling much better about it.  I can't wait to see our progress over the next 30 days (I will include pics on that post, promise).

How was your weigh-in Wednesday?

Weight Loss Chat: My First Vlog

Thought I would try something new.  I would love to hear your feedback on this video and if you would like me to do more of these.

You can call me challenge queen

Hey dolls!  I know it's been a hot minute since I posted but I will be making up for that this week.  I've got some good posts lined up for ya.  Anyways, there are a couple of things I wanted to update y'all on.

I recently joined two challenge groups.  The first is SkinnyMeg's 12 week challenge.  The person who loses the highest percentage of weight wins.  The group is now closed but Megan will be posting challenge updates on her blog to follow along.   What I like about these challenges is that if you give it your best you still end up winning because at the end you are leaner and stronger.  #winning

The second challenge is an arm challenge which starts today and you know I love to work on my arms. The challenge group is closed but I will be posting the daily arm workouts on my IG (@assignmentamanda).  If you want to do this with me be sure to use follow me and use #assignmentamandagunshow when you post arm challenge updates. Those who participate will be put in a drawing for a prize on August 1st (I haven't figured out the prize yet but trust it will be awesome). I have posted the workouts we will be doing below so you can make sure you are getting good form.

How to do a push up (even if you can do one)
How to do a tricep dip
How to do a mountain climber

Last but not least I wanted to give an update on my clean eating.  Hubby and I have been doing good on our eating.  However, we weren't really losing weight like we should.  I figured out that we were both eating way too few calories and we agreed we needed to change.  So after doing some research we are shifting over to IIFYM.  Basically you still need to eat whole nutritious food but nothing is off limits, if it fits in your macros you can eat it.  You can read more about it HERE and it also has a calculator if you want to try it.  We started yesterday, it is taking some adjusting but we will get there.


Are you doing any challenges this Summer?



**I am not an expert or medical professional.  You should consult your physician before beginning any fitness program or regimen.

#Armday is my favorite

One of the places on my body that I am super self-conscious about is my arms.  I cannot remember the last time I wore a sleeveless shirt in public.  Here is why, I have a lot of fat on my arms and I have major jiggle (I'm so nice I say "hi" twice kind of jiggle).  See exhibits A & B below.

So in order to combat this issue I have come up with an weight routine for my arms and shoulders that will hopefully help. I do 2 sets of 15 reps for each exercise (I hope I said that right, still working on my fitness lingo).

Bicep curls - 10lb
Hammer curls - 10lb
Tricep kickbacks - 5lb (I think I am going to up this next time to 10lb)
One-arm tricep extension - 5lb
Shoulder press - 5lb
Deep swimmers press - 5lb
Lateral raise - 5lb
Upright row - 10lb
Rear deltoid row - 10lb
Shoulder shrugs - 10lb


What is your favorite muscle group to work on?

Weigh In Wednesday: Check In

This is going to be short and sweet today.

So I am a week and a half into my 90 day clean eating challenge and I am doing awesome!  I know it sounds like I am bragging but I am really proud of myself because there were a few moments where I could have slipped up.  Not this time.

Anyways, I have been doing really good and I peaked at my weight on Saturday and I was down a good bit.  But then my monthly gift came and I am all kinds of bloated so my weight this morning was 314.4.  I am trying not to stress because I know that once I get off the crimson wave it will adjust.  

How did you do on your weigh-in?

Weigh-In Wednesday: Couples Edition

I am a weigh-in Wednesday newbie but here it goes.

I technically wrote this post in my head over the weekend but am finally getting around to putting it on the blog. To back track a little bit, I recently celebrated my 9 year wedding anniversary and all I asked for was Brent to workout with me twice a week.  He hates working out but after I got all choked explaining how I wanted him to take care of himself so we can be old geezers together he agreed, even though he stated many times he would not enjoy it.  Due to crazy schedules and pure laziness we have not worked out together yet. {Don't worry, it will start this week}

Fast forward to last Thursday, I was in a bad place mentally and inside my head I was shouting "someone freaking just tell me what to eat because I am tired of trying to figure it out!"  So I Googled clean eating meal plans and found this plan HERE.  It seemed doable so I printed it out and brought it home.   I asked Brent if he would do this 90 day challenge with me and he agreed.  {Moment of truth, although I have all of you for support, I have been feeling really alone so I was a little emotional when he said yes.}

So I went and bought everything I needed to start this 90 day challenge on Sunday.  After following the plan for a couple of days we have figured out that we need to tweak it a bit, oh and neither of us can choke down plain non-fat Greek yogurt.  So I guess you would say we are using the meal plan as a guide to clean eating.  We have sworn to no cheats and will be there to hold each other accountable.

With all that said, back to the weigh-in Wednesday.  So we are doing initial weigh-in and measurements and will check-in at the 30, 60 and 90 day mark.  {fingers crossed I see results!}

Here are our current stats...

Weight: 347 lbs

Neck: 18 in

Chest: 55.5 in

Stomach: 61

R Arm: 17.75 in

L Arm: 17.5 in

R Thigh: 30 in

L Thigh: 30.5 in

Weight: 314.8 lbs

Bust: 53 in

Waist: 52.5 in

Midline: 54.5 in

Hips: 58.75 in

R Arm: 19 in

L Arm: 19.25 in

R Thigh: 28.5 in

L Thigh: 28 in

How did your weigh-in Wednesday go?

Letting Go of the Secrets

When I started this blog several months ago I wanted to be completely honest with you all.  I won't lie some of the things I have shared (like progress pics in tight fitting clothing) have been hard.  This past weekend I made the decision that I wanted to tell all of my secrets.  As hard as it is to share this information I have to smile through the adversity.

I have decided it is time to share my stats with you all. When I started this journey in August I weighed 344.8 lbs.  My current weight is 313.9 lbs although I have fluctuated between 311-315 for the past 4 months. I started out a size 26/28 and am now wearing size 22/24.  I would really like to get down to a size 18 by the end of the year.  

When I first started I was so ashamed/scared to share my weight because I feared the unknown reaction of the strangers who might come across that info.  Now I don't care because I am doing something about it.  I figured that hiding that number is giving it power over my life and I don't need that in my life.

Since I have struggled the past few months I decided to updated my progress photos and my measurements (I could kick myself for not doing measurements in the beginning).   Below are my updates.

Measurements 1/2/14
Bust - 52.5"
L Arm - 18"
R Arm - 18.75"
Waist - 52.5"
Midway - 53.25"
Hips - 59"
R thigh - 29.5"
L thigh - 27.5"
R knee - 22"
L knee - 20.5"

Measurements 4/5/14
Bust - 52"
L Arm - 17.75"
R Arm - 17.75"
Waist - 50"
Midway - 51.75"
Hips - 57.25"
R thigh - 28.25"
L thigh - 28"
R knee - 21"
L knee - 19.75"

Left, 12/31/13 Right 4/5/14

Left-12/31/13, Right- 4/5/14 (I can see the most difference in my body in this pic)

Left, 12/31/13 Right 4/5/14

Although my weight is essentially the same I have lost 9.25 inches all over my body.  So there ya have it.

What are you letting go of this week?